Arkansas Administrative Code
Agency 001 - ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Rule 001.00.18-001 - Transportation-Related Research Grant Program

1.1 Authority for promulgating these rules is conferred upon the Arkansas Highway Commission and the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ArDOT) pursuant...to Ark. Code Ann. § 27-65-145.

1.2 These rules shall be known as the Arkansas Department of Transportation Rules for Transportation-Related Research Grants.

1.3 Pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. § 19-5-1258 the ArDOT is responsible for the award and administration of grants under the Transportation-Related Research Grant Program (TRRGP).

2.1 These rules describe the Arkansas State Highway Commission and the ArDOT procedures for awarding grants from the Future Transportation Research Fund for the TRRGP.

2.2 The purpose of the TRRGP is to support the study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions to provide resilient and sustainable logistics, processes, materials, and methods to ensure cost-effectiveness and the furtherance of education and economic development concerning all forms of transportation.

3.1 Potential applicants will be notified when an application period begins by email, letter, advertisement in applicable publications, and/or a notice on ArDOT's website.

3.2 The minimum amount requested for each application is $20,000. There is no limit to the maximum amount that can be requested. However, it should be noted that only $500,000 is available each year.

4.1 Applications will be reviewed and scored by the TRRGP Committee. It will be the duty of the TRRGP Committee to rate the quality of each application in order to recommend which applications will receive funding.

4.2 The TRRGP Committee will be comprised of the following members:

* ArDOT Assistant Chief Engineer - Planning, TRRGP Chairman

* ArDOT Materials Division Head

* ArDOT Transportation Planning and Policy Division Head

* ArDOT System Information and Research Division Head

* ArDOT Staff Research Engineer

5.1 The scoring criteria will be in accordance with Act 705, which defined "transportation-related research" as the systematic investigation into and study of materials and sources in order to establish facts and reach new conclusions to provide resilient and sustainable logistics, processes, materials and methods to ensure cost effectiveness and the furtherance of education and economic development concerning all forms of transportation, including without limitation rail, public transportation, aviation, and waterborne transportation.

6.1 The TRRGP Committee will submit their recommendation(s) for award of TRRGP funding to the ArDOT Director. Upon the Director's approval, a Minute Order will be submitted to the Arkansas Highway Commission for their approval. Upon approval, a letter will be sent to each applicant informing them of the award amount granted for their application.

6.2 An Agreement of Understanding will be prepared by ArDOT for each grant recipient. The recipient and the ArDOT Director must both sign the Agreement of Understanding before funds will be distributed.

7.1 At the end of each State Fiscal Year, the recipient must provide ArDOT with certification that expenditures were an appropriate use of the TRRGP funds accompanied with a summarized expenditure report.

7.2 Additionally, upon expenditure of all TRRGP funds or completion of the project, whichever occurs first, the recipient must submit a final report detailing what has been accomplished by the project and certifying that all expenditures were made in accordance with the TRRGP.